Thai Woman Stranded On Wooden Bridge In Hilarious GPS Blunder

In a scene straight out of a slapstick comedy, a driver in Thailand found herself stranded on a wooden suspension bridge, her car precariously balanced in the middle, according to the Pattaya News. The incident occurred around 5:40 pm on January 28th, when the woman, seemingly relying solely on her GPS for guidance, attempted to traverse the "Wiang Thong Bridge" with her white Honda Sedan.

Unfortunately, the 120-meter-long bridge, intended for foot traffic only, proved ill-suited for the automobile. The Pattaya News reported that the car had managed to advance roughly 15 meters before disaster struck, with the front left wheel becoming lodged in a gap and bringing the vehicle to a grinding halt.

Fortunately, the driver's predicament was witnessed by passerby Makun Inchan, who promptly alerted emergency responders. Recognizing the dire situation, rescue teams arrived swiftly to assess the scene and devise a plan for extricating the car without further damaging the bridge.

In an interview with an unidentified Thai female driver, it was revealed that she hails from the Nong Muang Khai district and was on her way to visit a friend in Sung Men. Not familiar with the area, she heavily depended on a GPS system to navigate to the specific location her friend had sent her.

The driver shared that she had never been to the area before and relied solely on the GPS instructions. However, she claimed that the GPS guided her to cross the Wiang Thong Bridge, unaware of any restrictions in place.

"I was focusing on the GPS and did not look around. I thought the bridge was sturdy and likely used by others. When I became stuck, I was so scared because I was in the middle of the Yom River. I was afraid the car might fall into the river, so I got out of the car to seek help," the woman said.

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Filmfare Awards: The One In Which Varun Paid A Tribute To David Dhawan

Varun Dhawan has been re-living the Filmfare Awards 2024 moments. The October actor treated his Instafam to an inside video from the awards ceremony, held last weekend in Gujarat. In the video, Varun can be seen dancing to the song Filmon Ke Sare Hero. He can be seen touching his father David Dhawan's feet during his performance. David Dhawan can be seen getting emotional as Varun touches his feet. The song Filmon Ke Sare Hero is originally picturised on Govinda. It's a song from the film Swarg, directed by David Dhawan. Govinda, Rajesh Khanna, Juhi Chawla acted in the film. Sharing the reel, Varun wrote, "Only heart #DDtribute." FYI, David Dhawan was felicitated with the Lifetime Achievement Award at the 69th Filmfare Awards.

Varun Dhawan's post has been garnering the Internet's love. Tahira Kashyap dropped a heart emoji. Avneet Kaur dropped a series of heart and crying in joy emojis. Wamiqa Gabbi wrote, "Aree" and dropped a heart emoji. Take a look at Varun's post:

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Earlier, Varun shared a video in which he can be seen dancing to Haseena Maan Jaayegi song What Is Mobile Number with the OG Karisma Kapoor. He captioned the post, "He captioned the post as, "What is mobile number? Got a chance to dance with my childhood crush."

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Varun Dhawan has worked in his father's directorial Coolie No 1 alongside Sara Ali Khan. The film was a remake of Govinda's cult hit Coolie No 1. Varun Dhawan is popular for working in films like Humpty Sharma Ki Dulhania, Main Tera Hero, Badrinath Ki Dulhania, Judwaa 2, October. Varun Dhawan will make his debut in series with the Indian version of Citadel. The series has been helmed by Raj and DK. This is the first project where Samantha Ruth Prabhu and Varun Dhawan have collaborated together.

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Bigg Boss 17: Mannara On Her Bond With Munawar - "He Is Like Family"

Reality show Bigg Boss season 17's finale was held on Sunday night where Munawar Faruqui emerged as winner after beating Abhishek Kumar. Mannara Chopra, who happens to be global star Priyanka Chopra's cousin, came third in the race. Though Mannara could not lift the trophy, she told E Times that she is happy to be the "winner amongst the girls." In an exclusive chat with E Times, Mannara Chopra talked about her bond with Bigg Boss winner for this season Munawar Faruqui. She said, "For me, Munawar is like family. I have considered him a true friend, and even he has helped me a lot on the show. Maine show mein jitni bhi dostiyaan ki hain, woh sab dil se hi ki hain (whichever friendships I formed in the show were from the heart)."

Earlier, after coming out of the house, she interacted with the media about her bond with Munawar Faruqui and her differences with Ankita Lokhande.

When asked if she feels that she reached the top three because of Munawar, she said, "I didn't reach here with anyone's help. I also played the game, and during the 'Weekend Ka Vaar' episode, I was mostly given favourable feedback. When I was incorrect, I was told, and Salman Khan helped me. I played the game honestly, and as a result, I reached here."

Munawar Faruqui was declared the winner of the 17th season of Bigg Boss. He defeated co-contestant Abhishek Kumar to win the finale, taking home a coveted trophy and a cash prize of ₹ 50 lakh.

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Fatwa Against Islamic Cleric For Attending Ram Mandir Consecration Ceremony

A fatwa has allegedly been issued against All India Imam Organization chief Dr Imam Umer Ahmed Ilyasi after he attended the 'Pran Pratishtha' ceremony of Ram Lalla at Ram Temple in Ayodhya on January 22.

The Imam said the fatwa was issued on Sunday but that he had been receiving threat calls since the Ram Temple event.

"As a chief Imam, I received the invitation from Shri Ram Janmbhoomi Teerth Kshetra. I contemplated for two days and then decided to go to Ayodhya for harmony and for the country. The fatwa was issued yesterday but I had been receiving threat calls since the evening of January 22," Ilyasi told ANI on Monday.

The Islamic cleric also claimed that he has been facing protests and receiving threatening calls since he visited the Pran Pratishtha ceremony.

"I have recorded a few calls wherein the callers gave me life threats...Those who love me, love the nation will support me. Those who hate me for attending the ceremony should perhaps go to Pakistan. I have given a message of love; I did not do any crime," he added.

He further said that he would neither apologize nor resign and said, "They can do whatever they want."

Earlier on January 22, Dr Imam Umer Ahmed Ilyasi attended the Pran Pratishtha ceremony in Ayodhya and said that his job is to spread the message of love and harmony.

"This is the face of new India. Our biggest religion is humanity. For us, the nation is first," he said.

The Ram Lalla idol was unveiled at the Pran Pratishtha ceremony after the hour-long rituals in the presence of Prime Minister Narendra Modi who led the ceremony.

RSS Chief Mohan Bhagwat, Uttar Pradesh Governor Anandiben Patel and Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath were also present inside the sanctorum during the rituals.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

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US Man Arrested For Punching Daughter After Her Loss At Wrestling Event

A man was arrested after he allegedly punched and slapped his daughter at a sporting event in Hall County, Georgia. Deputies were called to Cherokee Bluff Middle School after 2 pm on Saturday to investigate a report of a man hitting a female child, Fox News reported.

The preliminary investigation revealed that 38-year-old Steven Mathue Slaton, a resident of Commerce, became angry with his daughter for not emerging victorious in a wrestling match held at the school.

Reportedly, he punched the girl in the back, slapped her across the face, and then picked her up by her ears, lifting the girl over his head.

Fortunately, the sheriff's office reported that the girl did not sustain any physical injuries.

Notably, the victim is not a student in the Hall County School District, she and her family had travelled to Hall County for the youth wrestling event, which was not sponsored by the school district.

Slaton was charged with felony cruelty to children in the first degree. He posted a $11,200 bond on Monday afternoon. 

Earlier, a Colorado mother accused of murdering two of her children and injuring a third was arrested in London after being on the run for days. Kimberlee Singler, 35, appeared at Westminister Magistrate's court on New Year's Day, charged with the murder of her two children. 

Singler has been charged with two counts of first-degree murder, one count of attempted murder, three counts of child abuse and one count of assault. 

Her daughter, aged nine, and son, seven were found dead at a home in Colorado on December 19, along with her 11-year-old daughter who was injured, BBC reported. 

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NASA's Hubble Detects Water Vapour In Small Exoplanet's Atmosphere

Astronomers using NASA's Hubble Space Telescope have detected water molecules in the atmosphere of a small,blazing-hot exoplanet 97 light-years from Earth. The planet, named GJ 9827d, is approximately twice Earth's diameter and could be an example of potential planets with water-rich atmospheres elsewhere in our galaxy.

"This would be the first time that we can directly show through atmospheric detection, that these planets with water-rich atmospheres can exist around other stars," said team member Bjorn Benneke of the Trottier Institute for Research on Exoplanets at Universite de Montreal. "This is an important step toward determining the prevalence and diversity of atmospheres on rocky planets."

"Water on a planet this small is a landmark discovery," added co-principal investigator Laura Kreidberg of Max Planck Institute for Astronomy in Heidelberg, Germany. "It pushes closer than ever to characterizing truly Earth-like worlds."

Water is essential for life, but the exoplanet is unlikely to host any type of life due to its searing temperatures that would turn a water-rich atmosphere into steam. However, astronomers have yet to uncover the truth of this unusual world's atmosphere. 

The findings of the study appeared in a report published on Thursday in The Astrophysical Journal Letters.

Currently, the research team can't tell whether Hubble picked up on water vapour traces within a puffy, hydrogen-rich atmosphere or the planet has a water-rich atmosphere because the host star evaporated GJ 9827d's original hydrogen and helium atmosphere.

"Our observing program, led by principal investigator Ian Crossfield of Kansas University in Lawrence, Kansas, was designed specifically to not only detect the molecules in the planet's atmosphere but to look specifically for water vapour. Either result would be exciting, whether water vapour is dominant or just a tiny species in a hydrogen-dominant atmosphere," said the science paper's lead author, Pierre-Alexis Roy of the Trottier Institute for Research on Exoplanets at Universite de Montreal.

"Until now, we had not been able to directly detect the atmosphere of such a small planet. And we're slowly getting in this regime now," added Benneke. "At some point, as we study smaller planets, there must be a transition where there's no more hydrogen on these small worlds, and they have atmospheres more like Venus (which is dominated by carbon dioxide)."

Because the planet is as hot as Venus, at 800 degrees Fahrenheit, it definitely would be an inhospitable, steamy world if the atmosphere were predominantly water vapour, NASA said in a release. 

At present the team is left with two possibilities. One scenario is that the planet is still clinging to a hydrogen-rich atmosphere laced with water, making it a mini-Neptune. Alternatively, it could be a warmer version of Jupiter's moon Europa, which has twice as much water as Earth beneath its crust." The planet GJ 9827d could be half water, half rock. And there would be a lot of water vapour on top of some smaller rocky body," said Benneke.

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Bhutan's Liberal Tshering Tobgay Becomes PM After Fourth Free Vote

Bhutan's liberal politician Tshering Tobgay, leader of the People's Democratic Party (PDP), officially began his second term as prime minister on Sunday, following elections earlier this month.

To mark his appointment formally, King Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck handed a scarf to Tobgay, a statement posted on the king's official Facebook page said.

Tobgay, 58, is the country's fourth freely elected Prime Minister since democracy was established in the Himalayan kingdom 15 years ago.

A former bureaucrat and an advocate for Bhutan's Buddhist culture, he was previously prime minister from 2013 to 2018. He was also the leader of the opposition in the parliament set up after the first free vote in 2008 until 2013.

Bhutan is a country of fewer than 800,000 people, situated between China and India. It is known for its Gross National Happiness (GNH) index, an economic gauge that takes into account factors such as recreation and emotional well-being that are ignored by gross domestic product measures.

But Tobgay faces the challenge of revamping the $3 billion economy following the COVID-19 pandemic and creating jobs to prevent young Bhutanese people from going abroad, mainly to Australia, in pursuit of better opportunities.

Bhutan has extensive economic and cultural ties with India, which is also its largest donor and trade partner and Tobgay has made clear his wish to maintain a deep relationship with the country.

It has no formal diplomatic relations with China but is in talks with Beijing to resolve border disputes - negotiations closely watched by India, which has a border dispute with China.

(This story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)

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Husband Duty-Bound To Provide Maintenance To Wife: Allahabad High Court

The Allahabad High Court has said even if a husband has no income from a job he is duty-bound to provide maintenance to his wife as he can earn about Rs 300-400 a day as an unskilled labourer. A bench of justice Renu Agrawal of the Lucknow bench of the High Court made the observations while dismissing a revision petition of the man against a family court order asking him to pay Rs 2,000 monthly as maintenance to his estranged wife.

Justice Agrawal directed the principal judge of the trial court to take all recourse against the husband for the recovery of the maintenance already awarded in favour of the wife.

The husband had filed the revision petition before the high court on February 21, 2023, challenging the order of the Family Court, Number 2, which had asked him to pay the maintenance under section 125 of the Code of Criminal Procedure (CrPC).

According to the case details, the couple got married in 2015. The wife lodged an FIR against the husband and in-laws over dowry demand, and left their house to live with her parents in 2016.

The husband pleaded before the HC that the principal judge failed to consider that his wife was a graduate and was earning Rs 10,000 a month from teaching. He also said he was seriously ill and was under treatment. He also pleaded he was working as a labourer and lived in a rented room and has to take care of his parents and sisters.

In the order, the High Court said the husband could not produce any document to prove the wife earns Rs 10,000 from teaching. It also did not consider the man's submission that his parents and sisters are dependent on him and that he earns a little from agriculture and by working as a labourer.

The court considered that the husband was a healthy man and was capable of earning money through physical work.

"For the sake of argument, if the court presumed that the husband had no income from his job or from a rent of Maruti van, even then he was duty-bound to provide maintenance to his wife as is held by the Supreme Court in the case of Anju Garg in 2022 as, if he engaged himself in labour work he may earn as about Rs 300 to Rs 400 per day as a minimum wages as an unskilled labour," the HC observed. 

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Businessman Conspired With Lalu Yadav In Land-For-Jobs Case: Probe Agency

The Directorate of Enforcement (ED) has stated that businessman Amit Katyal, in connivance with RJD President Lalu Prasad Yadav, hatched a conspiracy to incorporate a company in ROC Delhi and buy land parcels situated in Bihar from prospective job seekers.

ED said that Amit Katyal hatched this conspiracy when Lalu Prasad Yadav was holding the Railways Ministry portfolio at the Centre.

Advocate Manish Jain appeared for the Enforcement Directorate and submitted before the Court that Amit Katyal knowingly aided and assisted Lalu Prasad Yadav and his family members in the process or activity connected with the proceeds of crime--by way of the acquisition of the proceeds of crime, concealing the proceeds of crime and then projecting the proceeds of crime as untainted.

"In doing so, he concealed the proceeds of crime from their true origin. While doing so, he knowingly and consciously projected the receipt of Proceeds of Crime as a legitimate transaction by keeping the shareholding of AK Infosystems Pvt Ltd with himself to conceal the illegal gratification and later on transferring it to Tejashwi Yadav and Rabri Devi," Advocate Manish Jain added.

Amit Katyal shielded the real beneficiary of the PoC and then, while transferring the PoC to its real beneficiary, projected the transaction as a normal business transaction, thus indulging in the offence of money laundering, the ED lawyer said.

In the matter, ED, through its lawyer, alleged that Bihar's former Chief Minister Rabri Devi played an instrumental role in the acquisition of proceeds of crime and further usage of proceeds of crime to integrate proceeds of crime in the mainstream economy to project the acquisition of POC as untainted.

According to the Enforcement Directorate, Hema Yadav, daughter of Lalu Prasad Yadav, also acquired Proceeds of Crime under the garb of gifts received from relatives while concealing the real origin of proceeds of crime generated from the scheduled offence. She was actively involved in the process of money laundering as she was the recipient of sale proceeds generated from land parcels, i.e., an original form of POC and later transferred the sale proceeds to her family members through a maze of transactions. A firm controlled by her family members was the ultimate beneficiary of this POC, where P0C was used in day-to-day business activity.

On Saturday, after going through the recent prosecution complaint filed by ED and submissions made by ED Lawyer Manish Jain, Special Judge Vishal Gogne issued summons to all the accused named in the prosecution complaint, including Rabri Devi's two daughters, Misha Bharti and Hema Yadav and others.

Special Judge Vishal Gogne issued summons to the accused persons after taking the Cognizance of Chargesheet filed by the Enforcement Directorate (ED).

The court issued a production warrant to produce Amit Katyal on the next date of hearing. Two firms, namely AK Infosystem and AB Export, have also been accused in this case.

The next date of hearing is February 9.

While taking cognizance of the chargesheet, the court said that there is sufficient material to take cognizance.

ED's had submitted that in 2006-07, A K Infosystem was formed by Amit Katyal and its business was IT data analysis. No real business was done. Instead, several land parcels were bought by the company. One land parcel pertains to the main predicate offence, which is land for a job.

Advocate Manish Jain, special public prosecutor (SPP) for ED, submitted that Amit Katyal is the only arrested accused. Other accused are Rabri Devi, Misa Bharti, Hema Yadav, A K Infosystem, A B export and Hridyanand Chaudhary. The Enforcement Directorate (ED) filed a Prosecution Complaint (Chargesheet) in Land for job scam money laundering case.

ED has named Bihar's former CM Rabri Devi, her daughters Misa Bharti and Hema Yadav, Hridyanand Chaudhary and Amit Katyal. Two firms, AB Export and AK Infosystems, have also been accused.

Advocates Manish Jain and Ishan Baisla also submitted that A B Export was supposed to be in the business of export. It was incorporated in 1996. In 2007, Rs. five crore came through five companies and a property in the New Friends colony was purchased.

According to the ED, the PMLA investigation conducted so far has revealed that several pieces of land at prominent locations in Patna and other areas were illegally acquired by the family of the then Rail Mantri, Lalu Prasad Yadav, in lieu of jobs provided by the railways.

Further, investigation under PMLA revealed that the property situated at New Friends Colony, Delhi (independent 4-storey bungalow registered in the name of AB Exports Private Limited, a company owned and controlled by Tejashwi Prasad Yadav and family) was shown to have been acquired at a value of mere Rs 4 lakhs, the present market value of which is approximately Rs 150 Crore.

It is suspected that a huge amount of cash or proceeds from crime has been infused into purchasing this property and a few Mumbai-based entities dealing in the gems and jewellery sector were used to channel ill-gotten proceeds from crime in this regard. The property has been, on paper, declared the offices of AB Exports Private Limited and AK Infosystems Pvt Ltd.; it is being exclusively used as residential premises by Tejasvi Prasad Yadav, son of Lalu Prasad Yadav, a statement said.

During the searches, Tejasvi Prasad Yadav was found to be staying at this house and was found to be using this house as his residential property.

An ED investigation has found that four parcels of land acquired by the family of Lalu Yadav in just Rs 7.5 lakh from poor Group-D applicants were sold to Syed Abu Dojana, a former RJD MLA, by Rabri Devi with huge gains of Rs 3.5 crore in a collusive deal.

ED investigation further revealed that a major portion of the amount thus received was transferred to the account of Tejashwi Prasad Yadav. Investigations revealed that, in a similar fashion, lands were taken from several poor parents and candidates in lieu of Group D jobs in the railways. It has been revealed during the investigation that in many railway zones, more than 50 per cent of recruited candidates were from Lalu Yadav families' constituencies, ED said.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

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"Prime Ministerial Starring Spectacle": Shashi Tharoor On Temple Event

Congress MP Shashi Tharoor on Saturday asserted that the presence of opposition leaders at the consecration of Ram Mandir in Ayodhya could have relegated them to a supporting role in a programme which, he claimed, belonged to Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

Supporting the Congress leadership's decision to skip the January 22 event, Mr Tharoor expressed willingness to visit the temple after the general elections are over when all the political focus on the shrine dies down.

"The Congress' position is very very clear. The Congress party members are free to have their own religion and religious beliefs, and everyone's religion is respected by the party. So I go to temples to pray, and not to political events," the Thiruvananthapuram MP said.

"This particular event (consecration of Ram temple) was essentially going to relegate the opposition invitees to a kind of supporting role for a prime ministerial starring spectacle. I did not think that Congress needed to play such a supporting role," he told reporters.

Senior Congress leaders including party president Mallikarjun Kharge, former chief Sonia Gandhi and Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury have 'respectfully declined' the Ram Temple consecration ceremony invite.

Mr Tharoor further emphasised that people should understand that the BJP has no monopoly on either Lord Ram or any of the Hindu deities.

“But I am quite sure that a large number of Congress people will go outside the political context. I, myself, would love to go and see the temple (at Ayodhya) but I would do it only after the elections, after all the political focus dies down. We do not want to be part of BJP's political exercise,” he told reporters.

Unwilling to take questions on the ongoing seat-sharing fiasco between the Trinamool Congress and the Congress, Mr Tharoor said that the matter is being looked after by the leadership of his party.

"This whole alliance or seat-sharing is being discussed on a state-by-state basis. No one is going to have a one-side fix-all solution,” he said.

Mr Tharoor also dodged a question on whether the Congress is looking to survive in West Bengal with the support of the TMC.

He said, "We are all focused on the imperative need of changing the Union government. The government of Mr Modi and the BJP in New Delhi will need to be changed and that is the ultimate objective of all of us," he said.

On the possibility of Bihar Chief Minister and JD(U) president Nitish Kumar joining hands with the BJP ahead of the Lok Sabha elections, Tharoor said, “I am following this in the media. This is not in my area of responsibility. When such a development occurs, you will hear it from the party.”

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

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Mamata Banerjee's 7-Day Ultimatum To Centre Over Pending Funds

West Bengal CM and Trinamool chief Mamata Banerjee on Friday gave the Centre a seven-day ultimatum to clear all dues failing which the party would launch a massive protest.

Ms Banerjee made these remarks during a programme at Raj Bhavan to celebrate the 75th Republic Day.

Ms Banerjee said, "If the central government does not clear the funds, then we (TMC) will initiate a massive protest." According to West Bengal government's figures, the Centre owes the state Rs 9,330 crore under the PMAY, Rs 6,900 crore under MGNREGA, Rs 830 crore under National Health Mission, Rs 770 crore under PM Gram Sadak Yojna, Rs 350 crore under the Swachh Bharat Mission, Rs 175 crore for mid Day Meals, as well as money under other schemes.

Ms Banerjee had met Prime Minister Narendra Modi on December 20, and discussed the issue of pending central funds.

After the meeting, she said PM Modi proposed that officials from state and Centre can sit together and clear the issues.

Earlier this week, a team of state government officers visited New Delhi and met their central counterparts.

According to officials, they submitted a detailed report on alleged irregularities in the 100 days' work scheme and the measures taken to address them.

The delegation also met Union ministry of rural development secretary Shailesh Kumar Singh.

In November, TMC MLAs led by the party chief had staged a protest within the state assembly premises against the alleged delay in the release of central funds by the Modi government.

Earlier, the party's national general secretary, Abhishek Banerjee, led a protest dharna at Rajghat in New Delhi on Mahatma Gandhi's birth anniversary, demanding the release of funds by the Centre.

In a jibe at the Trinamool Congress supremo, senior BJP leader Rahul Sinha said Ms Banerjee has threatened to launch an agitation after her nephew Abhishek Banerjee's threats to wage a sustained movement against the Centre on the same issue turned out to be a non-starter.

"Bhaipo (nephew) has stopped giving calls for a movement on the same issue after finding no support among people. Now pishi (aunt) has decided to prop up the same issue which has already been rejected by the public," Mr Sinha, a former state unit president of the party, told PTI.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

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Viral Video Shows 3,000 Engineers Queuing Up For Job Interview In Pune

In a viral video, over 3,000 engineers were seen queuing outside a Pune-based company for a recent walk-in drive targeting junior developer positions, typically sought by freshers. 

The event garnered immense interest, with more than 2,900 resumes submitted. Hinjawadi, known for attracting IT talent, witnessed long queues, each hopeful engineer holding their resume. 

The video, widely shared on social media, has sparked discussions about the evolving IT job market and challenges faced by young professionals.

Despite Pune's vibrant IT sector, the overwhelming response for around 100 positions raises concerns about skills training, automation impact, and the need for job market diversification in India. 

The incident highlights the intense competition affecting both recent graduates and experienced professionals.

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Following the viral spread of the video across various platforms, a lively discussion erupted in the comment section, attracting numerous social media users eager to share their perspectives.

"An IT company collecting CVs in an analog manner is the height of irony," commented a user.

A user pointed out, "If you think this queue is bad, try applying for a job at a Canadian grocery store; their lines are longer than this."

Adding a touch of humor to the conversation, a third user quipped, "Where's that uncle who said to complete your engineering, and after that, everything will be fine?"

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Happy Republic Day: Patriotic Wishes, Greetings, WhatsApp Messages And Quotes To Share With Friends And Family

It's the 75th anniversary of the day when the constitution of India came into effect. On Republic Day 2024, share your patriotism and love for your nation through these warm greetings and inspiring quotes.

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California Homeless People Found Living In Deep Caves Stocked With Drugs

In a clear example of California's homelessness crisis, authorities found caves along the Tuolumne River where people had been living. These 20-foot-deep underground dwellings, reached by makeshift stairs, were filled with makeshift furniture and personal belongings, revealing the desperate measures some take for shelter. Located near Modesto, the caves were cleared over the weekend by police and volunteers from local homeless outreach organizations. Authorities expressed concern about safety risks from unstable structures and potential flooding from the nearby river.

"This particular area has been plagued by vagrancy and illegal camps, which have raised concerns due to the fact that these camps were actually caves dug into the riverbanks," the Modesto Police Department said in a statement.

"During the operation on Saturday, a total of 7,600 lbs of trash, as well as two truckloads and a trailer of garbage, were successfully removed from the area," the police department said.

While details about the number of people and the length of their stay are still emerging, the discovery highlights the dire need for affordable housing and support services for the state's growing homeless population.

The Modesto Police Department confirmed they are working with Pathways to Hope and other agencies to connect the former cave dwellers with resources and find them safer accommodations. However, officials acknowledge this is just one instance of a widespread problem.

California currently faces a severe housing shortage, with skyrocketing rental costs pushing more people onto the streets.

According to CNN, California has spent a stunning $17.5 billion trying to combat homelessness over just four years. But, in the same time frame, from 2018 to 2022, the state's homeless population actually grew. Half of all Americans living outside on the streets, federal data shows, live in California.

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Padma Vibhushan For Venkaiah Naidu, Actor Chiranjeevi. See Full List

The government today announced the prestigious Padma Awards on the eve of the 75th Republic Day celebrations.

The Padma Vibhushan has been awarded to Vyjayantimala Bali, Konidela Chiranjeevi, M Venkaiah Naidu, Bindeshwar Pathak (posthumous), and Padma Subrahmanyam.

BJP leader Ram Naik, singer Usha Uthup and actor Vijaykanth (posthumous) are among the 17 who have been awarded the Padma Bhushan.

The first woman judge of the Supreme Court Chief Justice M Fathima Beevi (posthumous), actor Mithun Chakraborty, and Bombay Samachar owner Hormusji N Cama are also among the Padma Bhushan awardees.

Young Liu, the CEO of Taiwan's Foxconn, has also been honoured with Padma Bhushan.

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"Prayed To God To Show Me The Way": Ram Lalla Idol's Outfit Designer

Manish Tripathi who designed the outfit adorned by the Ram Lalla idol in the newly constructed temple in Ayodhya said a divine connection with the deity helped him achieve the task.

Explaining about the material and design of the outfit, Mr Tripathi told PTI, "We got a pitambari (yellow) cloth prepared for the lord in Kashi (Varanasi)," He added that along with silk, gold and silver wires were used in preparation of the clothing material.

"The embroidery done on the outfit has Vaishnavite symbols," the designer said.

Asked about the challenges faced in the conceptualisation and making of the outfit, Mr Tripathi said, "The biggest challenge was prepare a cloth which suits the grandeur of a prince and a god. I prayed to god to show me the way and he showed me signs and gave wisdom so that I could prepare apt clothing for him."

The young designer, who was born and brought up in Lucknow, said it was also a challenge for him to live up to the imagination and expectations of devotees who have been waiting for over 500 years the temple to get built.

"I had a thought in my mind about how people full of devotion would react to the outfit. I am feeling very proud after receiving appreciation from everyone," said Mr Tripathi.

"I got the best response from my mother and wife who complimented the outfit with smiles on their faces and tears in their eyes," he added.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

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Boxing Great Mary Kom Announces Retirement, Cites "Age Limit"

Six-time World Champion and 2012 Olympic medallist Mangte Chungneijang Mary Kom on Wednesday announced her retirement from boxing. Mary Kom hung her boxing gloves as the International Boxing Association's (IBA) rules allow male and female boxers to fight in elite-level competition only till the age of 40. During an event, Mary, 41, admitted that she still has the hunger to compete at the elite level, but she has to bring curtains down on her career because of the age limit.

"I have the hunger still but unfortunately because of the age limit it is over I cannot compete in any competition. I want to play more but I am being forced to quit (due to the age limit). I have to retire. I have achieved everything in my life," Mary said during an event.

Mary is the first female boxer in boxing history to have captured six world titles. The five-time Asian champion was the first female boxer from India to take home a gold medal at the 2014 Asian Games.

The experienced pugilist won a bronze medal in the London 2012 Olympic Games leaving any record or title untouched from her reach. She introduced herself to the world at the age of 18 in the inaugural world meet in Scranton, Pennsylvania.

With her near-flawless boxing style, she impressed everyone and made it to the final of the 48kg category. She fell short in the final but left a mark of the success that she was going to achieve in the future.

In the coming years, she went on to become the first Indian to win a gold medal at the AIBA Women's World Boxing Championships. She went on to clinch the World Championships titles in 2005, 2006, 2008 and the 2010 editions. After winning the 2008 title, Mary went on a break after giving birth to her twins.

After winning the 2012 Olympic medal, Mary once again went on a break after giving birth to her third child. She marked her return but sealed her place at the summit in the 2018 World Championships which was held in Delhi.

She dominated with a 5-0 win over Ukraine's Hanna Okhota for her sixth world title. A year later, she went on to clinch her eighth world medal, the most by any male or female boxer.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

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On Camera, Telangana Cops Drag Protesting Student By Hair

A shocking video of two Telangana policewomen dragging a protesting student by her hair has emerged online and is being widely circulated. The video shows the policemen on a scooty chasing a young woman. She runs for a few steps then falls as the policewoman riding pillion grabs her long hair.

The student reportedly belonged to ABVP (Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad), a student group linked to the BJP's ideological mentor Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh.

They were protesting against the state government's recent decision to allocate land belonging to Professor Jayashankar Telangana State Agricultural University (PJTSAU) for the construction of the new High Court complex.

"The recent incident involving Telangana police is deeply concerning and absolutely unacceptable," posted Kavitha, leader of the ruling Bharat Rashtra Samith, on X, formerly Twitter..

The recent incident involving Telangana police is deeply concerning and absolutely unacceptable. Dragging a peaceful student protester and unleashing abrasive behaviour on the protestor raises serious questions about the need for such aggressive tactics by the police.

This… pic.twitter.com/p3DH812ZBS

— Kavitha Kalvakuntla (@RaoKavitha) January 24, 2024

"Dragging a peaceful student protester and unleashing abrasive behaviour on the protestor raises serious questions about the need for such aggressive tactics by the police. This arrogant behavior demands an unconditional apology from the Telangana Police," she added.

She has urged the Human Rights Commission "to take swift and strict action against those involved".

"This behavior cannot become a norm and must be condemned by all alike," she wrote, tagging the Commission.

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Man Arrested Twice In 3 Days For Stalking Taylor Swift Outside Her US Home

A man was arrested twice within three days after stalking singer Taylor Swift outside her home in New York City, The New York Times reported on Tuesday.

The man has been identified as David Crowe, 33, and was charged by the police with harassment and stalking, the report added.

Crowe, a resident of Seattle, was first arrested near the pop star's residence in Manhattan over the weekend.

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Tamil Nadu To Start IPL-Like Matches To Revolutionise Jallikattu Festival

Tamil Nadu is set to revolutionise the Jallikattu festival, the traditional bull-taming sport, by introducing cricket's famous Indian Premier League (IPL) like matches at a new state-of-the-art stadium in Madurai's Alanganallur, which is renowned for this traditional sporting event.

The stadium will be inaugurated by Chief Minister MK Stalin tomorrow. The initiative to have IPL-like league matches aims to give a "boost" to the traditional festival and put it on India's tourism map.

The new Jallikattu stadium, is spread across 66.8 acres, and has seating capacity of 5,000 and a dedicated museum showcasing the Jallikattu bulls and the significance of the sport.

The new stadium will have emergency response measures such as a hospital for bull tamers and veterinary center for bulls.

The ancient sport of valour has an infamous history of injuring, maiming and even killing hundreds of people including spectators besides acts of cruelty against the animal like intoxication, pulling them by their tail and squeezing lime juice into their eyes.  

Meanwhile, the existing Jallikattu venues will continue to host events and the new breed of league matches will be conducted here by the Madurai District Administration and the State Sports department, which is presently under Udhayanidhi Stalin.

The festival has been commercialized with corporate funding for prizes including gold coins, motor bikes and cars. With new plans, this ancient sport could become a contemporary money spinner.

Last week, the Tamil Nadu police filed a case against a YouTuber after he posted a video showing his Jallikattu bull being force fed a rooster. The disturbing video, from Chinnappampatti in Salem district, shows the bull being forced to chew the rooster.

Three men are seen holding the bull to keep it in check while another man first feeds raw meat and then shoves the chicken in the bull's mouth, shows the 2.48 minute video posted on YouTuber Ragu's social media accounts.

Animal rights activists have expressed concerns that the new grand form of this sport will only increase cruelty against bulls, amplifying their trauma.

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Left Trying To Control INDIA Bloc's Agenda, Won't Accept: Mamata Banerjee

Amid the internal discord within the INDIA bloc in the state over seat-sharing, Trinamool supremo Mamata Banerjee asserted on Monday that the Left is striving to control the opposition bloc's agenda, underscoring that no one confronts the BJP as directly as she does.

Addressing an all-faith rally in the city, the TMC leader expressed her unwillingness to accept the Left Front led by CPI(M) controlling the agenda of the INDIA bloc meeting.

"I suggested the name INDIA during the opposition bloc meeting. But whenever I attend the meeting, I find the Left trying to control it. This is not acceptable. I cannot agree with those with whom I had fought for 34 years," she said.

Ms Banerjee remarked, "Despite such insults, I have adjusted and attended the INDIA bloc meetings."

In an apparent reference to Congress leader Rahul Gandhi being stopped in Assam from visiting the birthplace of Vaishnav saint Srimant Sankardeva, Ms Banerjee remarked, "Just going to the temple isn't enough."

She highlighted her proactive stance against the BJP, stating, "How many politicians today took on the BJP head-on? Somebody went to one temple and thought it was sufficient, but it was not. I am the only one who visited the temple, gurudwara, church, and mosque. I have been fighting for a long time. When the Babri Masjid issue (demolition) happened, and violence was taking place, I was on the streets."

Ms Banerjee's remarks came as she embarked on a symbolic journey of religious harmony, leading an all-faith rally that included visits to diverse places of worship, such as a temple, mosque, church, and gurdwara, aligning with the consecration ceremony of Ram temple in Ayodhya earlier in the day.

The CPI (M)-led Left Front, Congress, and TMC collectively constitute the 28-party strong INDIA opposition bloc. However, in West Bengal, the CPI(M) and Congress have aligned against the TMC and BJP.

Without explicitly mentioning the Congress, Ms Banerjee criticised them for delaying seat-sharing discussions in the state.

"I have the power and mass base to take on the BJP and fight against them. But some people don't want to listen to us about seat sharing. If you don't want to fight the BJP, then at least don't give away seats to them," she remarked.

Her comments followed her assertion during an internal party meeting three days ago that the TMC is prepared to independently contest all 42 Lok Sabha seats in Bengal if not given due importance.

Fissures within the INDIA opposition bloc have become evident, particularly between its key allies, Congress and TMC, regarding seat-sharing for the upcoming Lok Sabha polls in West Bengal.

The TMC's offer of two seats based on Congress's 2019 Lok Sabha election victories was deemed insufficient by the grand-old party, escalating tensions between the two parties.

The development coincided with state Congress president Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury, a vocal TMC critic, asserting that his party wouldn't "beg" for seats from the TMC.

In the 2019 elections, TMC secured 22 seats, Congress won two, and BJP secured 18 seats in the state.

Mr Chowdhury, also the Congress leader in Lok Sabha, won the Baharampur seat, while Abu Hasem Khan Choudhury, a former Union minister, secured a third consecutive term from Malda Dakshin seat.

The TMC recently decided to abstain from an INDIA bloc virtual meeting and emphasised the necessity for Congress to recognise its limitations in Bengal and permit the TMC to spearhead the state's political battle.

The TMC had previously allied with the Congress in the 2001 assembly polls, the 2009 Lok Sabha elections, and the 2011 assembly polls, leading to the ousting of the CPI(M)-led Left Front government of 34 years. 

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

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Trump's Sexual Assault Defamation Trial Delayed Over Juror's Covid Symptoms

Donald Trump's sexual assault defamation trial was delayed after a juror reported Covid symptoms Monday, the eve of the New Hampshire Republican presidential primary vote.

The juror in the civil case, at which Donald Trump says he will testify, reported symptoms of fever, as did one of Donald Trump's lawyers who had a separate exposure, the federal court in New York heard.

"We sent him home... We will not take testimony today, we will take the day off," said Judge Lewis Kaplan of juror number three.

Following the announcement of the delay, which will be reviewed Tuesday to determine if the case in its final stages can proceed, Donald Trump was whisked away in a metallic black Chevrolet SUV.

E. Jean Carroll, a successful writer, is seeking more than $10 million in damages for defamation by Donald Trump, whom another New York civil jury found liable for sexual assault against her.

Donald Trump separately faces four serious criminal cases, including his alleged attempt to overthrow the results of the 2020 election in which he lost to Biden.

He has shuttled between New York to attend the defamation case and a separate civil fraud trial and New Hampshire campaign stops.

The primary is seen as the last, best chance for Haley to stop Donald Trump, who despite being twice impeached as president and now facing four criminal cases, has succeeded in imposing his far-right brand on the entire Republican party.

A new Washington Post/Monmouth poll Monday showed Donald Trump, 77, backed by 52 percent in New Hampshire to Haley's 34 percent.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

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Bilkis Bano Case Convicts Surrender In Gujarat Days After Supreme Court Rap

All 11 convicts in the 2002 Bilkis Bano gangrape case surrendered at a Gujarat jail as the Supreme Court deadline ended today.

The Supreme Court on January 8 asked the convicts, released prematurely on Independence Day in 2022, to surrender before jail authorities by January 21. On Friday, the court refused to grant them more time.

The convicts had cited reasons such as health issues, impending surgery, marriage in the family and harvest work and sought more time to surrender.

The apex court noted that the reasons cited by applicants to seek postponement of surrender and report back to jail "have no merit".

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"Things Were Done And Dusted...": Ex India Star's Huge Virat 'Fab 4' Take

The upcoming Test series between India and England will see two members of the 'Fab-4' of Test cricket square off against each other. India's Virat Kohli and England's Joe Root have been two of the most consistent batters in the format over the past decade. Australia's Steve Smith and New Zealand captain Kane Williamson are the other two members of the 'Fab-4' of Test cricket. After overcoming a lean patch with the bat, former India opener Aakash Chopra suggested that Kohli is back among his peers.

"Yours truly also said that he is no longer part of the Fab 4. He is now, by the way. It was about the runs at that time, in that period of two years, but he is back again. Steve Smith has fallen away. Kane Williamson is also going 50-50 but this guy is still there. He was there then also and has returned now," Chopra said on his YouTube channel.

Despite scoring runs, Kohli failed to score a century in over three years between 2019 and 2022.

Chopra added that Kohli has reignited his career, especially in Test cricket, after a three-year lean patch had raised doubts over his future.

"The way he has made a comeback has made his story even more beautiful. It seemed like things were done and dusted and you came and played a World Cup, and became the Player of the Tournament. You reinvented the wheel once again and reignited that passion," he added.

Kohli has been in sensational form of late. He was the top-scorer in the World Cup last year as India reached the final, only to go down against Australia.

In 11 matches, Kohli amassed 765 runs at an average of 95.62. He also broke Sachin Tendulkar's record of most ODI centuries with his knock in the semi-final against New Zealand.

He has also scored 8,848 runs in 113 Test matches for India at an average of 49.15, while scoring 30 fifties, 29 hundreds and seven double hundreds.

India's squad for first two Tests vs England

Rohit Sharma (C), Shubman Gill, Yashasvi Jaiswal, Virat Kohli, Shreyas Iyer, KL Rahul (wk), KS Bharat (wk), Dhruv Jurel (wk), Ravichandran Ashwin, Ravindra Jadeja, Axar Patel, Kuldeep Yadav, Mohammed Siraj, Mukesh Kumar, Jasprit Bumrah (VC), Avesh Khan

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'Jai Shri Ram' On Antilia: Mukesh Ambani's Mumbai Home Lights Up

Antilia, the iconic Mumbai residence of industrialist Mukesh Ambani, is decked up ahead of the historic 'Pran Pratistha' ceremony at the Ayodhya Ram temple tomorrow.

The 27-storied landmark building this evening lit up with holograms reading 'Jai Shri Ram' in Hindi and diyas. The area around is decorated with lights and banners. 

#WATCH | Mumbai: Reliance Industries Chairman and MD Mukesh Ambani's house 'Antilia' decked up ahead of the Ram Mandir 'Pran Pratistha' ceremony in Ayodhya tomorrow. pic.twitter.com/mKoTRNWZSV

— ANI (@ANI) January 21, 2024

Mr Ambani, who heads the Reliance Industries, is among the top businessmen invited for the grand consecration ceremony of the Ayodhya temple tomorrow.

The event will be attended by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and a host of prominent personalities, including industrialists, sportspersons, actors, etc.

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AI Chatbot Goes Rogue, Swears At Customer And Slams Company In UK

Dynamic Parcel Distribution (DPD) deactivated its AI online chatbot after a customer, 30-year-old Ashley Beauchamp, discovered the bot using inappropriate language and even creating a critical poem about the parcel delivery company. Ashley became frustrated while attempting to locate a missing parcel and felt that the chatbot was not providing helpful information. Subsequently, he posed some questions to the chatbot, and the system's responses were entirely unexpected and not in line with the intended interaction. As a result of these unforeseen issues, DPD decided to disable the chatbot to address the situation.

According to The Guardian, Ashley asked the chatbot to tell him a joke, but he soon progressed to getting the chatbot to write a poem criticising the company. With a few more prompts, the chatbot also swore.

Mr Beauchamp shared the conversation on X, with the chatbot replying to one message: "F**k yeah! I'll do my best to be as helpful as possible, even if it means swearing."

Parcel delivery firm DPD have replaced their customer service chat with an AI robot thing. It's utterly useless at answering any queries, and when asked, it happily produced a poem about how terrible they are as a company. It also swore at me. 😂 pic.twitter.com/vjWlrIP3wn

— Ashley Beauchamp (@ashbeauchamp) January 18, 2024

Then, in another instance, the chatbot calls itself a "useless Chatbot that can't help you".

A post by Mr Beauchamp, a classical musician from London, gained 1.3 million views within 24 hours. In reference to the chatbot, he wrote on X, "Parcel delivery firm DPD has replaced their customer service chat with an AI robot thing. It's utterly useless at answering any queries, and when asked, it happily produced a poem about how terrible they are as a company. It also swore at me."

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Prem Chopra Reveals His Two-Three "Very Good" Scenes Were Cut From Animal

Prem Chopra, who plays the character of Dalbir Dodamal Singh AKA "Bade Daji" in Sandeep Reddy Vanga's Animal, recently revealed that his two-three scenes were cut from the film. The film veteran also said that he considered those scenes were "Very good." Speaking to India Today, Prem Chopra said, "Animal was wonderfully made. Director Sandeep Reddy Vanga wrote the script himself with some help from two assistants. So he was meticulous and very definite about what he wanted. Also, the film got very lengthy. It turned out to be a four-hour fifteen-minute film, so he had to cut it out. Hence, in this way, my two or three scenes were cut, which I thought were very good."

He continued, "But anyway, this is one of the games in the industry. But, I'm surprised that whatever my screen time is, people seem to have accepted me in a big way, and I still get views and information about it. I never expected that. I thought this was a special appearance, but the love is still pouring."

At Animal screening, Ranbir Kapoor greeted the actor while he was leaving the venue. Pictures went viral in which Ranbir Kapoor can be seen holding his hands and talking to him gently. Previously, Ranbir Kapoor and Prem Chopra worked in Rocket Singh: Salesman of the Year.

Prem Chopra also praised Ranbir Kapoor's performance in the film. Speaking to news agency PTI, Prem Chopra said, "Ranbir is a very hardworking actor and performed so well in Rocket Singh. In this film (Animal), he is tremendous. He has done a great job. It is a very difficult and complicated role." He added, "It is action-oriented but even then, his character has a great background (story). People seem to love him very much. Not just him, even Bobby Deol is very good in a special appearance. All of them are very impactful."

Animal is directed by Sandeep Reddy Vanga. Apart from Ranbir and Anil Kapoor, the film stars Bobby Deol, Triptii Dimri in pivotal roles. The film emerged as one of the biggest hits of recent time.

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Delhi Police's Advisory On Road Safety For Bikers Has A Witty Twist

Delhi Police is known for using witty and innovative methods to spread awareness. The police department often uses memes to communicate their message to the netizens. Taking to X, formerly Twitter, the police department shared a uniquely drafted special traffic advisory for bikers. 

The Delhi Police shared a screenshot of a Google result page, with a query in the search box reading, "How to do a wheelie." To this, the search results corrected the query to "Did you mean: How to land up in a hospital bed?"

Delhi Police wrote in the caption, "Keep the rubber side down and the safety vibes up. Safety is the ultimate accessory for every rider." 

See the post here:

Keep the rubber side down and the safety vibes up.
Safety is the ultimate accessory for every rider.#RoadSafety#DelhiPoliceCares pic.twitter.com/X7Yw9wtkWM

— Delhi Police (@DelhiPolice) January 17, 2024

Since being posted, the tweet has amassed nearly 6,000 views with several comments.

A user wrote, "Delhi Police think they have great humour! Yeah, they have," a user said. 
"Great," another comment read.

Earlier, the police department shared a video to remind citizens of some basic traffic rules and the repercussions one would face if not abide by them. The clip showed a bride riding a two-wheeler without a helmet just to get likes on her reel - a short-duration video feature on Instagram. 

Delhi Police is known for its amusing and witty social media posts.

 

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US Redesignates Houthi Rebels As Terrorist Group Amid Red Sea Attacks

The Biden administration on Wednesday returned the Yemen-based Houthi rebels to a list of terrorist groups, U.S. officials said, in the latest attempt by Washington to stem attacks on international shipping.

Officials said the "Specially Designated Global Terrorist" (SDGT) designation, which hits the Iran-aligned group with harsh sanctions, was aimed at cutting off funding and weapons the Houthis have used to attack or hijack ships in vital Red Sea shipping lanes.

The Houthis' campaign has disrupted global commerce, stoked fears of inflation and deepened concern that fallout from the Israel-Hamas war could destabilize the Middle East.

"These attacks fit the textbook definition of terrorism," said one of three administration officials who briefed reporters ahead of the announcement on condition of anonymity.

The designation comes after American and British warplanes, ships and submarines last week launched dozens of air strikes against the Houthis, who control the most populous parts of Yemen.

The U.S. military on Tuesday carried out its latest strike against four Houthi anti-ship ballistic missiles, two U.S. officials told Reuters.

The Houthi militia movement, which says the attacks on commercial ships are aimed at supporting the Palestinians in Israel's war in Gaza, has threatened a "strong and effective response."

The attacks are part of a broad response to the Gaza conflict by a so-called Axis of Resistance - including the Houthis alongside Palestinian militants Hamas, Lebanon-based Hezbollah and Iraq's Shiite militias - with ties to U.S. adversary Iran.

"We will continue to counter and blunt Iranian malign influence wherever we can. So of course the choice to move away from Iran is now in the hands of the Houthis," said a second official, adding that the U.S. would consider lifting the designation if the attacks on shipping cease.

HUMANITARIAN SITUATION

A Saudi Arabia-led military coalition intervened in Yemen in 2015, backing government forces fighting the Houthis in a war widely seen as a proxy conflict between U.S. ally Saudi Arabia and Iran.

The Trump administration added the Houthis to two lists designating them as terrorists a day before its term ended, prompting the United Nations, aid groups and some U.S. lawmakers to express fears that sanctions would disrupt flows of food, fuel and other commodities into Yemen.

U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken on Feb. 12, 2021, revoked the designations in "recognition of the dire humanitarian situation in Yemen."

The United Nations describes the humanitarian crisis in Yemen as "severe" with more than 21 million people - two thirds of the population - in need of aid. It says more than 80% of the population struggles to access food, safe drinking water and adequate health services.

Blinken was on Wednesday relisting the Houthis as SDGTs, the U.S. officials said, but not as a "foreign terrorist organization," which includes stricter prohibitions on providing material support to those on the list and would mean automatic travel bans.

The former designation "provides better flexibility to achieve the aims that we have in terms of carving out and safeguarding humanitarian assistance," an official said, a reference to measures to mitigate the impact of the move on Yemen's people that Washington plans to introduce before the designation takes force in 30 days.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

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Kohli, Anushka Get Invitation For Ram Temple 'Pran Pratishtha' Ceremony

Virat Kohli is the latest Indian cricket team player to get an invitation to attend the Ram Temple consecration ceremony in Ayodhya on January 22. Before this, MS Dhoni, Sachin Tendulkar, Venkatesh Prasad were among the players who were sent invitations for the auspicious occasion. Kohli and his wife Anuskha Sharma, who is a well-known Bollywood actress, were presented with the invitation to attend the grand inauguration of the temple in Uttar Pradesh. According to media reports, Kohli was travelling with the Indian cricket team for the ongoing T20I series against Afghanistan but the star batter came back to his home in Mumbai to receive the invitation personally before going to Bengaluru for the third match.

Meanwhile, with the series already in the bag, India will be eager to perfect their freshly-baked T20 template as a team and hope that skipper Rohit Sharma's bat finally fires when they face Afghanistan in the third and last match of the rubber on Wednesday.

This will be India's final T20 game ahead of the World Cup in June, and the team management wouldn't want any drop in intensity that was displayed during victories at Mohali and Indore.

India's identical six-wicket wins were marked by an ultra-aggressive mindset from ball one that saw them chasing down 159 in 17.3 overs and 173 in 15.4 overs respectively.

It was a clear deviation from their earlier approach of building the momentum for a final flourish in T20s. None showed this intent more brightly than Shivam Dube and Virat Kohli.

Virat Kohli and Anushka Sharma receives the invitation letter for the Ram Mandir Pran Pratistha.

Jai Shree Rampic.twitter.com/ek4e3HpGyi

— Kevin (@imkevin149) January 16, 2024

Kohli was playing a T20I for India after 14 months at Indore, but he creamed a 16-ball 29 at a strike rate of 181.

The most noteworthy feature of his little yet significant innings was the way he handled Afghan spinner Mujeeb-ur-Rahman, whom he carted for 18 runs off seven balls, striking against him at a rate of 257.

Kohli has always been a bit of a slow-mover against spin but there was no trepidation this time and he showed commendable alacrity to contribute his two cents to a transformed approach.

(With PTI inputs)

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Video: 2,800-Year-Old Settlement Found In Vadnagar, PM Modi's Hometown

A recent excavation in Vadnagar, Prime Minister Modi's hometown, unearthed evidence of unbroken cultural continuity spanning centuries. This challenges the long-held belief of a "Dark Age" following the Harappan civilization's collapse, suggesting a more nuanced picture of the region's history.

Led by experts from IIT Kharagpur, the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI), the Physical Research Laboratory (PRL), Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU), and Deccan College, the study has found evidence of a human settlement that is as old as 800 BCE (before the Christian Era) at Vadnagar in Gujarat.

#WATCH | Gujarat: On remains of a 2800-year-old settlement found in PM Narendra Modi's village, Vadnagar, Professor of Geology and Geophysics at IIT Kharagpur, Dr Anindya Sarkar says, "We have been working in Vadnagar with the ASI for the last 4-5 years... A very old Buddhist… pic.twitter.com/ybPPEDwdYc

— ANI (@ANI) January 16, 2024

In a statement released by the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Kharagpur, the results of a comprehensive study on deep archaeological excavation in Vadnagar shed light on the intricate dynamics of the region.

The study suggests a correlation between the rise and fall of various kingdoms over a 3,000-year period and recurrent invasions by Central Asian warriors. The driving force behind these historical events, according to the study, appears to be significant changes in climate, such as fluctuations in rainfall or periods of drought.

The findings have just been published in a paper titled "Climate, human settlement, and migration in South Asia from early historic to medieval period: Evidence from new archaeological excavation at Vadnagar, Western India" in the prestigious Elsevier journal 'Quaternary Science Reviews'.

While the excavation was led by ASI, the study was funded by the Directorate of Archaeology & Museums, Government of Gujarat, which is entrusted with building India's first experiential digital museum (experiential means the process of learning through experience) at Vadnagar.

Incidentally, Vadnagar is also the native village of Narendra Modi, the Prime Minister of India.

Vadnagar has been a multi-cultural and multi-religious (Buddhist, Hindu, Jain, and Islamic) settlement.

"Excavation in its several deep trenches revealed the presence of seven cultural stages (periods), namely, Mauryan, Indo-Greek, Indo-Scythian or Shaka-Kshatrapas, Hindu-Solankis, Sultanate-Mughal (Islamic), and Gaekwad-British colonial rule, and the city is continuing even today. One of the oldest Buddhist monasteries has been discovered during our excavation.We found characteristic archaeological artefacts, potteries, copper, gold, silver, and iron objects, and intricately designed bangles. We also found coin moulds of Greek king Appollodatus during the Indo-Greek rule at Vadnagar," said ASI archaeologist Abhijit Ambekar, co-author of the paper who led the excavation in 2016.

(With inputs from PTI)

from NDTV News- Topstories https://www.ndtv.com/india-news/video-archaeologists-uncover-2-800-year-old-settlement-in-gujarat-village-4875617

Watch: Virat Kohli's Reaction As Dube Tonks 3 Back-To-Back Sixes

With the T20 World Cup set to be held later this year in June, all-rounder Shivam Dube has boosted the hopes of his selection in India's squad for the marquee event. With all-rounder and vice-captain Hardik Pandya nursing an ankle injury since October last year, Dube's resurgence as a fast-bowling all-rounder has proved to be a blessing for India. In the ongoing T20I series, Dube has scored back-to-back half-centuries in the first two matches, also picking up two wickets in the process.

Dube has notched up unbeaten scores of 60 and 63, respectively, striking over 150 in both matches.

During the second T20I on Sunday, Dube entertained the crowd and his teammates by smashing three sixes on the trot in the 10th over of India's chase. Virat Kohli was also impressed by the show put on by Dube.

Up, Up and Away!

Three consecutive monstrous SIXES from Shivam Dube #INDvAFG @IDFCFIRSTBank pic.twitter.com/3y40S3ctUW

— BCCI (@BCCI) January 14, 2024

On way to his an unbeaten 63 off 32 balls in the second T20I here on Sunday, Dube smashed four towering sixes and five fours, as India chased down a target of 173 with as many as 26 balls to spare.

On how hard it is to think only about the present and not about the forthcoming T20 World Cup, Dube said, "In the past I have thought a lot about the future. But I have realised that I got to focus on the present. I have to focus on how to improve my skills, so that's more important to me. I just try to keep myself grounded and try to focus on what I have to do." In stark contrast to his penchant to toy with the spinners, 30-year-old Dube has often looked vulnerable against the short deliveries bowled at good pace. He admitted that the standard of fast bowlers in the IPL is much better than in domestic cricket.

On the amount of work that has gone into improving his game against short balls, Dube said, "I have worked a lot on it. When I was playing domestic cricket, I was able to dominate all the bowlers, but when it came to IPL and Indian cricket it was not easy as bowlers were bowling over 140km/hr." "I worked a lot with side arms, but it is more about the mindset which I worked." Dube had a poor start for India's white-ball team against Bangladesh more than four years ago.

Asked about the methods he has employed that's resulted in a significant improvement, he said, "This credit goes to Chennai Super Kings and Mahi bhai (MS Dhoni) because I always had this game in me." "They have brought out the best in me. They have always encouraged me and said that they believe in me. Stephen Fleming and Mike Hussey have shown faith in me." Speaking about his mindset as a finisher, the Mumbai all-rounder said, "As a middle-order batsman, my role is to take on spinners and improve the strike rate. But when it is like getting 20-25 runs, I focus on that." "What I have seen Mahi bhai do for a long time, I am working in that direction. I have to keep myself calm and composed and just focus on one ball at a time.

(With PTI Inputs)

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